Mercer Island Reporter

The right pairing for holiday meals

Treveri sparkling wines are made in the Yakima valley. / Contributed Photo

December is the month for parties, and parties call for wine. As a host, it can be difficult to judge the actual amount of wine to provide. I usually figure a bottle for every two guests. However, I helped with a wedding a few years ago and used my formula of half a bottle per person. The wedding couple not only opened wine as presents, but also had to send people out twice to the local supermarket. Most distributors and wineries have exceptionally good prices for December, so this is a good time to stock up anyway. Also, look for weekly grocery store specials where the 10 percent discount for six bottles is raised to 15 percent.

We have stayed at Maison Mumm in Reims, France. At dinner, every single course was accompanied by champagne. The message: champagne can be paired with everything.

If you would like to serve a sparkling wine that was served at the White House, here is a great story. Treveri Vineyards in Yakima was just a year old when Hillary Clinton’s chef stopped by the winery. He was also the event manager at the Office of Chief of Protocol. He arranged for Treveri to be served at the White House during the holidays last year. Then, in April, Treveri was chosen to be served at a James Beard event.

Beef Rib Roast/Beef Brisket

This is often a tradition on many Island holiday tables, and especially New Year’s Eve.

Hey, we live in the Pacific Northwest where salmon and shellfish are abundant. I personally enjoy pinot noir with salmon (see above recommendations under lamb). For shellfish like scallops, clams or oysters, I choose sauvignon blanc.

Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc from Australia, $27.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Hills sauvignon blank, $12.

Champagnes

A sparkling wine can only be correctly called champagne if it is from the Champagne region of France. All others are sparkling wine.